FA Cup preview - Walton Casuals boss: "I'd have sacked me by now"

Walton Casuals boss Mark Hams has praised the club’s directors for backing him to the hilt and is out to repay their faith with FA Cup glory.

The Stags lost 4-1 at Corinthian Casuals on Monday to make it six defeats from their first six Ryman Division One South games.

Walton host Whitstable Town in the FA Cup preliminary round on Saturday in a game worth £1,925 to the winner.

And Hams admitted he was surprised to be still in charge at Waterside Drive for a game of such finiancial significance.

“If it wasn’t for the fact I have an unbelievable set of directors, I would have been sacked by now,” he said.

“If I was on the board of directors I’d have sacked me by now. We’ve lost six out of six and that is pathetic.

“I wouldn’t have trusted me going into a game worth £2,000, but they have given me their full support.”

Hams’ men are rooted to the foot of the Ryman Division One South table and already five points adrift of safety.

The former Kingstonian assistant boss strengthened the squad in the summer, but saw a number of new signings – including Adriano Moraes and Andre Scarlett – walk away from the club before a ball had been kicked in the new campaign.

“I take full responsibility because I thought the players I brought in would strengthen us and it has not worked out,” he added.

“We’re going to have to rebuild. There will be four or five new faces by the weekend because we have to turn this around.

“I’ve been part of a management team at Kingstonian that lost its first four games, rebuilt and then ended up making the play-offs.

“I’m not saying we’ll do that because this is basically a battle for survival.”